December 18: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Fire at Galway hotel due to house asylum seekers ‘deeply sinister’ – O’Gorman
Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman has said the fire at a Galway hotel due to house asylum-seekers “was deeply sinister”. The Ross Lake House hotel in Rosscahill, which has not been in use for a number of years, was due to accommodate 70 asylum seekers this week. Protesters had gathered to form a blockade at the entrance of the hotel at the weekend in opposition to Government plans to house the asylum seekers on the premises from Thursday. A fire broke out at the hotel on Saturday night and gardaí began an investigation into what they have described as a criminal damage incident.
RTÉ

Dubliners urged to stop paving gardens for parking due to negative environmental impacts
Dublin City Council is appealing to householders to stop covering their front gardens with concrete and tarmac due to increasing flooding and sewerage overflows into watercourses. The trend of paving over front gardens for parking is emerging as one of the biggest causes of local pollution of rivers and streams, particularly in older city suburbs such as Rathmines and Rathgar, the council said. The council has also noted grass is increasingly replaced with concrete and asphalt around transport hubs such as the Broombridge Luas stop in Cabra, with residents renting out the additional parking spaces to commuters.
The Irish Times

‘Dining on deforestation’: Irish meat and dairy may be linked to Amazon forest clearance
The chicken fillets you pick up from the supermarket may be linked to deforestation in some of the world’s most endangered habitats. Soy, mainly grown in South America, is shipped to Ireland in large quantities to go towards feed for Irish livestock. As an animal feed ingredient, this imported soy is a key part of many meat and dairy products that stock Ireland’s supermarket shelves. But campaigners have warned that Ireland’s meat industry and its supermarket suppliers could, through these controversially sourced imports, be “wrecking” the Amazon rainforest and other endangered habitats in South America.
The Journal

‘Dublin Jimmy’s threats’ to ex-Fine Gael mayor Frank Kilbride who admitted laundering €2.6m in cash
A former Fine Gael politician and showband star who this week admitted laundering more than €2.6million is believed to have been involved in the scheme with the notorious gangster known as ‘Dublin Jimmy’. Former two-time mayor of Co Longford Frank Kilbride (69), of Aughakilmore, Ballinalee in the county, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering at a sitting of Longford District Court this week.
Independent.ie

Review of 21 baby deaths called for by maternity care campaigners
Campaigners for better maternity care are urging the Government to review 21 baby deaths over the last decade amid concerns that “similar issues” have occurred in each tragedy. There has been at least 21 baby deaths in the past 10 years in Irish maternity units that were potentially avoidable.
The Irish Examiner

Hamas officials say Israeli strikes kill 110 as Gaza ceasefire calls grow
Hamas health officials say at least 110 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in Jabalia in northern Gaza. There’s been no specific comment from Israel, which insists it is targeting what it calls terrorist infrastructure. Jabalia, part of which is a long-standing refugee camp, is in the north of Gaza – an area where, since the early days of the war, Israel has warned people to leave. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is expected to meet Israeli officials today, as the UK, France and Germany step up global calls for a ceasefire.
BBC News

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian ‘terrorist’ group claims to have attacked military base in Russia
A Ukrainian-based paramilitary group of Russians who oppose Vladimir Putin has claimed to have destroyed a platoon stronghold of Russian troops in Belgorod.
Sky News

Today’s forecast
Mild and mostly cloudy with patchy rain, drizzle and mist to begin today, Monday. Clearer, cooler and drier conditions will develop in the west and north this afternoon. Afternoon highs of 9 to 13 degrees in light to moderate westerly winds. Rain will move up over the south of the country tonight, turning heavy at times, with the possibility of spot flooding occurring near the south coast. The rain will be patchier further north, with a clearance extending from the northwest overnight. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees with a touch of frost possible in Connacht and Ulster. Light variable breezes becoming light to moderate west to northwest by morning.
Met Éireann